- Three measures are currently being implemented to control Ebola outbreaks:
- Monitoring of contacts
- Isolation and treatment of sick people
- Vaccination of the population in high-risk areas.
- In contacts with high viral exposure and therefore a high risk of incubation and rapid
expression of infection, the r-VSV-ZEBOV vaccine does not provide adequate protection
because vaccine antibody production is effective 6 to 10 days after administration.
- Specific monoclonal antibodies (Mab) from the Regeneron and mAb114 research specialties
have been shown to be effective in reducing mortality in patients with Ebola virus
disease (EVD).
- Their use in a single parenteral administration and good tolerability make them
candidates for use in post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) in individuals at high risk of
viral exposure.
- A comprehensive strategy for the protection of high-risk contacts must therefore be
implemented, including the vaccine and the Mabs, to ensure both immediate and prolonged
protection. Indeed, the efficacy of the vaccine is likely to be diminished when
co-administered with Mabs, as both strategies share the same viral target (the GP
envelope glycoprotein) and the vaccine is replicative (and therefore may be inhibited by
Mabs).
PROVAE aim to evaluate the effectiveness of a comprehensive strategy to prevent transmission
of MVE in contacts at high risk of infection, including (i) post-exposure prophylaxis with
Mabs and (ii) vaccination with r-VSV-ZEBOV.